8 Best Work Schedule Maker Software of 2024

Amid the demand for remote work mode, the market of scheduling technologies is ever-growing.

In particular, the worldwide market for appointment scheduling software is expected to amount to $1,550.8 million in 2032.

We can point out 3 major factors contributing to the growth of the scheduling software market.

• Greater emphasis on efficiency and productivity

Businesses are always seeking ways to optimize their operations, and scheduling software offers an automated solution for appointment booking, employee scheduling, and resource management.

• Expansion of remote and hybrid workforces

As remote and hybrid work schedules become increasingly popular, digital solutions provide a unified platform for arranging meetings, appointments, and project milestones across various locations.

• Enhanced communication and collaboration

Successful companies rely heavily on clear communication and effective collaboration. Scheduling software promotes both by offering shared calendars, instant notifications, and integrated messaging capabilities, fostering a more cooperative work atmosphere.

Yet, crafting work schedules can be a time-consuming headache. The struggle is real: balancing employee availability, ensuring coverage during peak hours, complying with labor laws, and making schedules effective.

The solution? Applying a reliable schedule maker brings a smooth instant experience.

How to Choose Work Scheduling Software

Step 1: Assess your organization's unique needs

• Team Size and Structure: Are you a small team or a sprawling enterprise with multiple locations?
• Industry: Do you require shift scheduling for retail, healthcare, or a field service industry?
• Budget: How much are you willing to invest? Many solutions offer both free and premium tiers.
• Existing Software: Do you use payroll or HR software? Integration capabilities can be a game-changer.

Step 2: Explore features that streamline your workflow

• Scheduling Templates: Pre-built templates for common shifts can be a time-saver.
• Availability Management: Allowing employees to input their availability helps with fair scheduling.
• Time Tracking: Does the software integrate with time tracking for easier payroll processing?
• Communication Tools: Can employees swap shifts or request time off directly within the software?
• Reporting and Analytics: Track trends and labor costs for better future scheduling.

Step 3: Take it for a Test Drive

Many software providers offer free trials. This is your golden opportunity to test the features and see if it suits your team.

Step 4: Embrace User Reviews

Don't underestimate the power of user reviews. Read what others in your industry or of a similar team size say about their experience.

Top Work Schedule Maker Apps for 2024

TMetric - Best Schedule Maker App for Remote Teams

TMetric is an ideal employee schedule maker that goes beyond creating work schedules.

It's a comprehensive time tracking and project management solution designed to streamline your workflow and maximize efficiency.

TMetric Functionality for Effective Scheduling

• Accurate Time Tracking: It accurately tracks time spent on tasks, projects, or clients. Users can opt for manual timers or automatic start/stop.
• Effortless Project Management: It helps organize tasks, assign them to team members, and monitor progress according to your work schedule. Set deadlines, budgets, and billable rates.
• Flexible Scheduling: It enables you to create customized work schedules for yourself or your team. Visualize availability, allocate resources efficiently, and ensure everyone is on the same page.
• Data-Driven Insights: By generating detailed reports, users can analyze productivity patterns, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions about resource allocation.
• PTO Module: Managers and team leads can quickly see who will be out of the office and when to plan work schedules and allocate resources more effectively. Storing all PTO-related data in one place allows frictionless monitoring of employee absences over specific periods.
• Seamless Integrations: Users can connect TMetric with popular productivity apps (Slack, Trello, Asana, Jira, GitHub), communication tools (Gmail, Outlook), and calendars (Google, Outlook, eliminating overlaps).
• Mobile Accessibility: It permits users to stay aligned with their appointments on the go with native mobile apps for iOS and Android devices.
• Enterprise-Grade Security: It provides top-notch protection features like encryption, two-factor authentication, and labor law compliance.

🪙TMetric is free for individuals or small teams of up to 5 members

Calendly - Best for Simplified Scheduling

Calendly is a work schedule creator designed to streamline appointment scheduling, particularly useful for one-on-one meetings and consultations.

Calendly Functionality for Effective Scheduling

• Seamless Calendar Integration: It connects effortlessly with your existing calendars like Google Calendar, Outlook, etc., eliminating the need to manage multiple schedules.
• Client-Facing Scheduling: Empower clients to book appointments directly through your personalized scheduling link. They can view your availability and choose a time slot that works for them, reducing back-and-forth emails.
• Customization of Availability: Set buffer times before and after meetings, define your working hours, and create different event types (e.g., consultations, calls, office visits) with specific availability rules.
• Team Scheduling: If you work with a team, Calendly allows you to share team availability and enable group scheduling, making it easier to find meeting times that work for everyone. (Available in paid plans)
• Automated Reminders and Follow-Ups: Reduce no-shows with automated email and notification reminders sent to both you and your clients. (Available in paid plans)
• Integrations: Integrates with various video conferencing tools like Zoom and project management apps, streamlining your workflow. (Availability varies depending on plan)

🪙Calendly offers a free plan with limited features, along with paid tiers

7Shifts - Best for Streamlined Restaurant Scheduling

7shifts is a cloud-based team management platform designed specifically for restaurants, which makes it the best staff schedule maker.

7shifts Functionality for Effective Scheduling

• Drag-and-Drop Interface: Effortlessly create and edit schedules with a user-friendly interface. Assign shifts by dragging and dropping employees onto specific time slots.
• Availability Management: Allow employees to set their availability preferences so you can build schedules that work for everyone.
• Auto-Scheduling (Optional): Utilize AI-powered automation to create draft schedules based on pre-defined rules and labor cost targets. Fine-tune the auto-generated schedule or take full control as needed.
• Mobile App: Employees access their schedules, request time off, and swap shifts directly through the free mobile app, promoting communication and flexibility.
• Team Communication: Send announcements, share documents, and communicate directly with scheduled staff through the platform.
• Payroll Integration: Use scheduling data in payroll processing with add-on integrations to payroll providers.

🪙7Shifts offers tiered plans starting from $17.99 per month, making it a great option for businesses of all sizes.

Google Calendar - Best for Effortless Time Management and Seamless Coordination

Google Calendar is the best schedule maker due to its simplicity, reliability, and seamless integration with other Google services.

Google Calendar Functionality for Effective Scheduling

• Basic Scheduling: Create individual or recurring shifts for employees, including setting start and end times, titles, and descriptions.
• Team Visibility: Share calendars with team members, allowing everyone to see who is working when and avoiding scheduling conflicts.
• Availability Management: Set working hours for each employee so others can easily see their availability when scheduling meetings. (Limited functionality compared to dedicated software)
• Integrations: Integrates with other Google Workspace apps like Gmail and Meet for streamlined communication.
• Mobile Access: Access and manage work schedules from anywhere through the Google Calendar app.

🪙Basic Google Calendar functionality is free with a Google account. This includes creating and sharing calendars, setting working hours, and basic integrations.

Appointy - Best for Advanced Customer Scheduling and Appointment Management

Appointy shines in customer scheduling. It is a cloud-based scheduling software designed to streamline appointment management for businesses of all sizes.

Appointy Functionality for Effective Scheduling

• Online Scheduling: Clients can book appointments through a web-based scheduling system integrated with the user's website or social media pages.
• Automation: It can send automated appointment confirmations, reminders, and follow-up emails.
• Staff Management: It allows to assign tasks and services to staff members, set availability rules, and track their workload.
• Appointment Customization: Users can create different appointment types, including group or recurring appointments for ongoing services with varying durations and buffer times.
• Integrations: Appointy seamlessly connects with popular calendars like Google Calendar and Outlook.
• Reporting & Analytics: It generates detailed reports on appointments booked, cancellations, revenue generated, and staff utilization.

🪙Basic Plan starts at $19.99/month

Sling - Best for Scheduling Hourly Teams

Sling schedule making software helps managers easily create and manage work schedules with guaranteed results.

Sling Functionality for Effective Scheduling

• Template Magic: Save time by creating reusable shift templates that accommodate recurring schedules or specific departments.
• Employee Availability: Sling helps avoid scheduling conflicts by letting you view employee availability upfront.
• Shift Swapping: Empower employees to swap shifts amongst themselves to accommodate personal needs.
• Communication Hub: Sling acts as a central communication platform for schedule updates, announcements, and team messages. This eliminates confusion and keeps everyone informed.
• Labor Cost Control: Set labor budgets and receive alerts if your schedule exceeds them. This allows you to optimize staffing and keep labor costs under control.
• Time Tracking (Paid Plans): Upgrade to a paid plan to gain features like time tracking, which simplifies payroll processing and helps identify areas for further optimization.

🪙Available on the free and paid plans that start at $1.70 per user per month

Planday- Best for Reliable Staff Scheduling

Planday is an online schedule making app that thrives on detailed organization.

Planday Functionality for Effective Scheduling

• Schedule Creation and Management: Drag-and-drop functionality allows for intuitive scheduling.
• Employee Communication: Communicate schedule changes and updates directly with employees through the platform.
• Payroll Integration: Integrate Planday with your existing payroll system to streamline the process. (Availability depends on the payroll system and plan).
• Time Off Management: Manage employee leave requests and track absences efficiently.
• Mobile App: Planday offers a mobile app for both employees and managers for on-the-go access to schedules and communication.
• Scalability: Planday caters to businesses of all sizes, from small teams to large enterprises.

🪙The service is available for a monthly payment of €2.99

OpenSimSim - Best for Work Scheduling in the Hospitality Industry

OpenSimSim is a free automatic schedule generator online that provides efficient employee collaboration. Its industry-specific focus ensures it meets the unique needs of businesses in this sector.

OpenSimSim Functionality for Effective Scheduling

• Effortless Scheduling: Users can manage appointments, tasks, and deadlines within the system, ensuring a clear and organized schedule.
• Seamless Integration: OpenSimSim integrations effectively link scheduling and payroll processing.
• Employee Availability Management: The software allows employees to indicate their availability upfront.
• Shift Management: OpenSimSim facilitates the creation of various shift types, including regular shifts, split shifts, and on-call shifts. You can also manage time off requests and shift swaps through the platform.
• Communication Features: OpenSimSim integrates private and group messaging functionalities, allowing for better communication between managers and employees.
• Labor Cost Tracking: OpenSimSim helps you track labor costs associated with your work schedule and optimize resource allocation for better budget control.

🪙Available for free for 1o scheduled employees. Paid plans start at $12.99 per month

How a Schedule Maker Works

A schedule maker, or employee scheduling software, is a digital tool that helps businesses create, manage, and communicate work schedules for their staff.

It replaces the old-fashioned method of pen-and-paper schedules or spreadsheets, which can be error-prone.

Here's how a schedule maker works▶️

• Input employee data: Managers enter details like employee availability, skills, and certifications into the system.
• Define business needs: The manager specifies the required staffing levels for different times to create balanced workloads.
• Automates scheduling: The software considers employee availability and business needs to generate draft schedules.
• Manual adjustments: Managers can fine-tune the auto-generated schedules to address specific situations or employee preferences.
• Communication and feedback: The final schedule is distributed electronically to employees, often with options for them to request swaps or time off.

Challenges of Using a Work Schedule Maker Software⏹️

Learning Curve: Some users may find it challenging to adapt to new software, especially if they are accustomed to manual scheduling methods.

Visual Layout Limitations: Users may encounter visual layout aspects that could be improved or lack customization options, impacting user experience for visual-oriented individuals.

Technical Issues: Software may have occasional bugs or limitations, such as the inability to delete inactive items, which can affect the user experience until the provider resolves them.

Cost: Depending on the software and the features required, the cost of work schedule maker tools can vary, potentially posing a financial burden for some users.

💡When choosing scheduling software, it's essential to consider these factors. The tools listed above are among the best options available, specifically designed to address these challenges effectively and enhance the overall scheduling experience.

Bonus: More Free Scheduling Tools to Try

Coursicle Student Schedule Maker

Free Schedule Maker for Students

Coursicle caters to students of over 1200 colleges, helping them organize class schedules, track assignments, and manage academic commitments. Its student-centric approach sets it apart.

Coursicle Functionality for Effective Scheduling

• Simple Interface: Coursicle offers a straightforward interface with a grid layout representing the days of the week. You can easily add your classes by entering details like course name, instructor, and meeting times.
• Course Exploration: While Coursicle doesn't directly connect to individual colleges, it provides a comprehensive course catalog across various institutions. This allows you to explore potential classes and build a mock schedule before registration.
• Schedule Visualization: Once you've added your classes, Coursicle provides a clear visual representation of your weekly schedule. This helps you identify potential conflicts or gaps in your time.
• Limited Features: It's important to note that Coursicle is a basic schedule maker. It doesn't offer features like adding assignments, deadlines, or integrating with other productivity tools.

🪙Coursicle is completely free to use. There are no hidden fees or premium versions to consider.

Schedule Builder Online for Straightforward Scheduling

Customizable Schedules Made Easy

Schedule Builder is a schedule maker app that helps users create and manage their schedules for work, classes, meetings, and appointments.

• User-friendly interface: The website has a clean and intuitive design, making it easy to navigate even for first-time users.
• Customizable schedule: Users can add, edit or delete events in their schedule with just a few clicks. They can also set reminders, recurring events, and customize the view of their calendar.
• Time management: Schedule Builder allows users to allocate specific time slots for different tasks, helping them stay organized and productive. It also shows conflicts if there are any overlapping events.

🪙Schedule Builder offers its services free of charge. To save and print the schedule, users need to create an account.